This invention relates to drain clearing tools, and in particular to adapters which enables such tools to be used with different kinds of drain outlets.
Some known drain clearing tools operate to apply fluid pressure (liquid or gas) to a drain outlet so as to dislodge blocking material in the drain. However, there is a need for an adapter for such tools to enable them to be used with different kinds of drain outlets, for example those found in washroom or kitchen sinks, showers and toilets. It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an adapter for this purpose.
According to the invention, an adapter for this purpose has a central tubular connecting portion to enable the adapter to be fitted to a clearing tool and a flexible skirt portion of frusto-conical shape extending from the central connecting portion part way along its length, the connecting portion having a first part on one side of the skirt portion and a second part with a different diameter from the first part on the other side of the skirt portion, and the skirt portion having a first configuration in which it surrounds one of the connecting parts and a reversely bent second configuration in which it surrounds the other connecting part.
The adapter may also have a series of circumferentially spaced stabilizing portions extending between the skirt portion and said one connecting part, which may have a larger diameter than the first connecting part. The central connecting portion may have an internal annular shoulder at the junction of the first and second connecting parts.
The invention also provides a drain clearing assembly including a drain clearing tool operable to supply food under pressure and an adapter in accordance with the invention operatively connected thereto to enable the clearing tool to be actuated to discharge food under pressure through the connecting portion of the adapter into a drain when the skirt portion is engaging the drain in a sealing manner.
The invention also provides a method of clearing a drain using a drain clearing assembly as mentioned above, including placing the skirt portion of the adapter in sealing engagement with a drain, and actuating the drain clearing tool to discharge food under pressure through the connecting portion of the adapter into a drain.